Cool Down – exercise principles
There are three key elements which are vital for an effective and complete cool down.
They are:
- Gentle exercise
- Stretching
- Re-fuel.
All three parts are important and none of them should be neglected.
Gentle exercise is something like walking for a few minutes at the end of a run, jogging gently at the end of a tennis match, or performing a few neck rolls and ankle rotations after a game of bowls. This is a good time to work on your hydration and a bottle of water or a pure fruit juice will rehydrate your body as you perform your gentle wind down.
Static stretching
Static stretching involves gradually easing into the stretch position and holding the position. The amount of time a static stretch is held may be anything from 6 seconds to 2 minutes.
Upper Back Stretch
Stand tall, feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Interlace your fingers and push your hands as far away from your chest as possible, allowing your upper back to relax. Feel the stretch between your shoulder blades
Shoulder Stretch
Stand tall, feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Place your right arm, parallel with the ground across the front of your chest. Now bend the left arm up and use the left forearm to ease the right arm closer to you chest. Feel the stretch in the shoulder. Repeat with the other arm.
Leg Stretch
Put the heel of one foot about a foot in front of you. Bend the rear leg gently and draw back your hips to feel the pull in the straight leg. Feel the leg ease out. Repeat with the other leg.
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